(She had called me Noel’s “mistress.” Ugly word, “mistress.” He and I
had loved each other so . . . Noel would want a son . . . he had wanted
one of mine . . . Noel to grow old, to be bound forever . . . to end up
on a newspaper copy desk, when he was tired—and through. Noel was
honourable. I had so loved that in him. Noel would stick to his
disfigured wife . . . who was with child.)